


The Great Pretender

by hygiei



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Gen, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Game(s), References to Depression, characters not mentioned in tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2018-11-14 17:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11212359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hygiei/pseuds/hygiei
Summary: Melemele Island has found itself in need of a new Kahuna, and local leaders have taken it upon themselves to hold a ceremony in an attempt to coerce Tapu Koko to make a decision. However, not everyone is so keen on pushing that choice, and some would rather not think about it at all.





	1. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' on

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy Y'all! 
> 
> This is, uh, actually the first fanfiction I've ever posted! I'm by no means a writer, but I had this thing jotted down and thought I might as well share!! Please, go easy on me, haha. 
> 
> For the record, this takes place about 5 years after the end of the game!

_ Very appropriately, the day Hau stood on the docks was foggy and grey. That was the kinda stuff that happened in the sad parts of teen movies, right? He had tried to look at this trip as something happy, an optimistic change, as opposed to a melancholy loss, but this weather sure was making it tough.  _

_ It wasn't really raining, but there was a cool mist sprinkling down to cover everything with a sticky moisture- rain almost felt like it would be preferable, he mused, plopping his bag down on the wooden planks and sitting on top of it. Hau squinted, leaning forward to see if there were any boats coming, but saw nothing. He should’ve brought a snack, or something.  _

_ The Mahina of Melemele Island was one of the few places in Alola that wasn't very… Tourist-y. Hau had always guessed that was because people who didn't fly in were going to have to use it no matter how unpicturesque it was (and for the record, it was), or how loud and creaky the old boards on the dock were-- but for once, on the quiet day, that particular trait served as a benefit, as he heard something making its' way up behind him from the street above.  _

_ When he whipped around to see who or what was coming, he found it was maybe one of the last people he wanted to see right now. Gladion was quickly pacing towards where Hau sat, his arms folded uncomfortably against his chest.  _

_ “Hau,” He practically snapped, both worry and surprise evident on his face. “I-- Nobody’s seen you, at all, since,”  _

_ His face grew more solemn as he trailed off, and he looked at his feet for a second while he rethought the phrasing.  _

_ “Nobody’s, ah.. seen you, in more than two  _

_ weeks. What happened?”   _

_ Hau had dreaded this exact situation, among many others, for as long as this trip had been a hypothetical in the back of his mind. He didn't know what to say.  _

_ “...I’m sorry,” was the best he managed to get out.  _

 

\-------

 

“Remind me what this is, again?"    
  
Gladion crossed his arms and tilted his head inquisitively as the two walked along the path, looking around at the decorations that littered all the surfaces of Hau'oli city.   
  
"It's a kinda ceremony, apparently? Where they pick the new Kahuna." Moon said, nonchalantly following his gaze. "The other islands stopped doing it a long time ago, but Melemele isn't exactly known for its' fresh and innovative atmosphere, on account of all the oldass losers who live here."    
  
Gladion's brow furrowed as he attempted to parse the process of Kahuna selection. "So, what, are they just going to call Tapu Koko and hope it has an answer for them?"    
  
Moon shrugged in response. "I'unno. I guess? If you listen to the folklore, people say that the Tapu knows if someone will be a Kahuna from they day they're born, and it's all about if they're ready or not."    
  
"Sounds... Made up."    
  
"Right? Anyways, I guess they're gonna summon Tapu Koko in the middle of Iki town, gather everyone on the island there, and it'll bestow some magic blessing on the next Kahuna in line. And then we get to go home, which I think is my favorite part."    
  
"I agree."    
  
With that, they reached the end of their trek and Moon took a few extra steps forward and motioned back to Gladion as she walked into the ice cream shop. "I'm gonna go get some shakes. I'll be right back."    
  
Gladion emotionlessly gave her a thumbs up and leaned against a fence, wondering why the hell he had walked out here with her in the first place if she was just getting a milkshake.    
  
After about 5 minutes, Moon returned, triumphantly holding a tray with 3 drinks on it. As she neared him, Gladion dared to reach out and take one, and she swatted his hand away.    
  
"Hey, NO. Not for you. Seriously, Has anyone ever told you that you're an incredibly selfish human being?"    
  
"Not recently." Gladion responded dryly, leaving a moment of silence to give Moon a chance to explain herself. She didn't. "...Why did you get 3 shakes for yourself?"    
  
"Oh, come on, you know that's not what it is. We have to address the giant, emotionally devastated, kahuna-shaped elephant in the room at SOME point, right?"    
  
"Wait, have you actually heard from Hau??"    
  
Moon gave him a look that read 'A little eager to hear about him, huh?' with a raised brow, before shaking her head.    
  
"No. But if he's not dead right now, he's gonna be there. It's not, like, an optional thing. ESPECIALLY not for him."    
  
As they neared the steps up the Iki town, Gladion stopped walking and turned to Moon. 

  
"You think it'll actually be Hau that gets picked?"    
  
Moon closed her eyes, her typical prideful demeanor fading just slightly. "I don't know, man. It's not up to me.” 

  
“I guess we'll just have to find out.” 


	2. That's All Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost every resident of Melemele Island is gathered in Iki town, and finding a place to sit hasn't been this hard since lunchtime in the middle school cafeteria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Still getting the hang of this whole fanfiction and writing thing, so please bare with me! 
> 
> This story is of course first and foremost about Hau, so this is the last chapter that will be written from Gladion's perspective. He's just the backup guy, for the parts where Hau isn't there.)

_Gladion, not known for his love of vague and deflective responses, was clearly not satisfied by that._

_“Where… Where have you been? We've all been really worried about you, you haven't answered any calls or texts, we were starting to think that… You'd done something stupid, or… I don't know.”_

_Though he felt bad about causing this distress, Hau knew it was a worry they would get past. “I'm fine. I've just been at home!”_

_That wasn't all a lie, but the smile he forced out sure was one. And, unfortunately, he was a horrible liar. Gladion gave him a look before his eyes darted around the scene, putting together the puzzle pieces of what was going on in his head._

_“Why are you out here, right now?”_

_A lump rose in Hau’s throat. “I'm just waiting for… Something, Glad.”_

_The vagueness yet again failed him as Gladion took a step forward. “You have a suitcase and a bag with you.”_

_Hau choosing not to respond to that served as more of an answer than anything he could have said._

_After a pause that was neither comfortable nor awkward, Gladion let out a sigh. “Do you want to go for a walk?”_

_It was a simple enough request from an old friend, and after he made sure no boats were coming over the horizon, Hau simply stood and nodded, leaving his bag and suitcase in an out-of-the-way corner. Gladion headed down some rickety stairs towards the shore and Hau quickly followed him, not wanting to be gone for too long._

 

\--------------

 

Lillie was waiting on a wooden bench when the two of them returned, and waved cheerfully at them when she noticed they'd made their way back. Moon quickly scurried over and sat right next to her, holding the tray out so Lillie could take her pick of the smoothies she'd gotten.

Gladion looked away uncomfortably as the two got a bit carried away with their affection, Moon deciding that now would be the best time for some whimsical PDA.

He obviously didn't resent her or mistrust her for dating his sister, but that didn't mean he couldn't get a little squicked out at them leisurely swapping spit (perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but still) right in front of him.

Due to their current.... _preoccupied_ nature, Gladion elected to find another place to sit. He accidentally locked eyes with Kukui, who smiled invitingly, but broke that interaction as fast as he could. Burnet had recently had a baby, and it was with them, and the last thing Gladion ever wanted, ever, was to be near one of those things.

To avoid this, Gladion quickly plopped himself down in the nearest seat to himself-- which, he realized, lead him to a far worse fate. The person next to him was none other than his former employer, Guzma.

 _Fuck_. He should have just sat next to Lillie and Moon. _Ugh. Fuck. Fuck!!_ Guzma, surprisingly, greeted him with a small smile. "Hey, there's someone I haven't seen in a few years.”

Gladion knew he lived on Melemele, hell, he'd heard through his friends that Guzma was training under Hala for a few years before he died, but he had always hoped that he’d never have to… _See_ the guy. It wasn't that he resented him, but… He-- and most of Team Skull-- represented a time in his life he felt best not thinking about.

Because of this, Gladion just stared dumbly at the man, kind of at a loss for what to do. “Uhhh… Yeah.”

“You were never a man of many words, eh?” Guzma teased, a fond smile uncharacteristic of his past self forming on his face. “How old are you now, eh? Twenty-six? Twenty-seven?”

Well, at least one could take comfort in the fact that despite everything the man was still a complete, absolute dumbass.

“...Seventeen.” He corrected flatly. Guzma raised his brows and shook his head slowly. “Shit,” He started, “‘Was off by like, 10 years…”

An uncomfortable silence came between them, and they sat on the bench, Gladion trying his hardest to subtly scoot to the other end.

As soon as he worked himself up to say something, Guzma started speaking too. “Look, I--”

 _“I have to go.”_ The young man blurted suddenly, cutting the other off. In the past, that would have resulted in a temper tantrum, or at least some pouting, but Guzma just looked surprised and even a bit disappointed as he nodded Gladion away.

He actually felt a little bit bad, but… Not enough to stay and talk. He'd have to brave Moon and Lillie’s smooch-fest, which thankfully seemed to be coming to a close. He eased over and sat next to his sister, and both girls gave him the look that you give someone when they just accidentally had an awkward and horrifying conversation with their boss from several years ago.

After a minute, though, Guzma was the last thing on anyone's mind, because Hau shakily stumbled out of his house and sat next to Moon without a word.

He… Looked _horrible_.

When they'd seen eachother a couple weeks before, he looked disheveled and exhausted but that was nothing compared to his current state. His hair was down, and parts of it had been unevenly snipped off-- Probably because they got tangled beyond salvation. He couldn't be sure, though, because the remaining hair was also snarled and unbrushed and easily looked like it should be chopped off as well.

Hala’s old coat was draped over his shoulders like a blanket as a clear source of comfort. Before all this, Hau wearing the coat looked silly, being so small wrapped up in clothing made for someone so much bigger than him. Now that silliness was gone and the jacket sorrowfully enveloped an even smaller boy that clearly hadn't been eating.

Their eyes met for a moment, but Gladion couldn't help but dart his focus away when he saw the look of deep, intense despair in his friend’s eyes. It was the kind of emotion that was beyond him, that he wouldn't be able to help no matter how hard he tried, and he hated that.

Moon, who obviously hadn't been sharing his inner thoughts (but, then again, when did she?), was the first to say something to Hau.

“ _Jesus Christ,"_ She insensitively commented, "Did you get hit by a bus, or something? What the fuck happened to you?”

Hau didn't look up at her when she spoke and it was hard to tell if he could even hear her. His tear-stained eyes stayed locked on the ground below him, and Gladion had a feeling they were going to stay that way until he was pried from his seat at the end of the ceremony, either to be named Kahuna, or to go back home.


End file.
